Australian actor and filmmaker Damian Hill dies at 42

The beloved indie cinema star was best known for the 2017 low-budget critical hit PAWNO, which he wrote during the final year of his Masters of Screenwriting at VCA.

He also starred in the Venice Film Festival success West of Sunshine, alongside his stepson Ty Perham.

While the cause of death is at this stage unknown, his family confirmed that Hill passed away on Saturday night.

His brother Julian posted the news to Facebook friends on Sunday, with a touching tribute to his "darling, brilliant, little brother".

"My eyes are bluer but he was the best one, a beautiful soul," he wrote.

(Mind Blowing Films)

Known to his friends and family as "Dame", the talented filmmaker co-wrote, co-produced and was set to star in M4M, a modern interpretation of Shakespeare's Measure For Measure.

Set in a housing commission block in Prahran, Victoria, the production was scheduled to begin on Monday morning, around the time news of his death was made public.

The film's director, co-writer and co-producer Paul Ireland said "we are all heartbroken but we will regroup and forge ahead" with the film.

"Dame put three years of his beautiful soul into making our latest project and I am determined to make it so the world can see his beautiful work as a lasting legacy to the most beautiful man I have ever met," he added.